Ideas Meet Alex Neve, the 2025 CBC Massey Lecturer
Sep 11, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Alex Neve, a longtime human rights lawyer and former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, shares insights from his upcoming 2025 Massey Lectures. He discusses the global crisis of displaced individuals and the necessity of human rights in navigating this turbulent landscape. Using the lifeboat metaphor, he illustrates community support for those in dire situations like Rohingya refugees. He also highlights the power of personal narratives, emphasizing how individual stories can shape the understanding of universal human rights.
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Massey Platform Means Responsibility
- Neve feels honoured and aware of responsibility joining the Massey Lectures legacy.
- He frames the lectures as a serious platform to address current human rights crises.
Crises Are Human Rights Failures
- Alex Neve argues current global crises (climate, mass atrocities, disinformation) are fundamentally human rights issues.
- He contends the human rights regime exists but we've failed to truly embrace its vision universally.
Talk Human Rights In Daily Life
- Neve advises recognizing shared distress and connecting human rights to everyday conversations.
- He suggests using human rights as a roadmap to move from despair to collective action.
